The removal of a dead animal from a livestock building is a difficult and time-consuming operation and involves substantial manual labor since the animal, such as a hog, is heavy and is thus difficult to manipulate. Further, most livestock buildings are constructed such that they do not permit the use of overhead hoists or the like. Also, the isles in such buildings are normally narrow and hence do not accommodate automated equipment.
The removal of a dead hog from such a building is further complicated by the fact that such buildings often utilize a floor structure formed from either narrow slats or an open grate. Floor structures of this type thus do not permit the utilization of many conventional wheeled devices, whereby such devices can accordingly not be utilized to assist in removing the dead animal.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tiltable, hand-propelled, attendant-stabilized cart designed particularly for use in a livestock building to facilitate the handling and removal of a dead animal, such as a dead hog. The cart of the present invention is particularly designed to permit its utilization on floors employing narrow slats, and is also designed to permit the cart to be moved through rather narrow isles and around the rather sharp corners which exist within said buildings to facilitate the handling, manipulation and removal of a dead animal.
More specifically, the cart of the present invention employs an elongated platform which extends substantially horizontally and is of an upwardly opening concave cross-section, which platform has a wheel assembly disposed under one end thereof and a handle projecting outwardly and upwardly from the other end thereof. The desirable cart of the present invention permits an animal to be pulled partially onto the platform so that it is partially balanced over the support axle located at the one end of the platform, which results in part of the animal remaining in engagement with the floor to stabilize the cart and prevent sideward tipping thereof. The cart thus permits dragging of the dead animal from the building while minimizing the frictional force which must be overcome.
The cart of the present invention has, for another of its objects, the provision of an upwardly opening, concave-shaped platform which assists in properly centering and wheels balancing the animal over the axle. The objects of the invention are further achieved by providing the cart with a winch mounted on the handle, the cable of which extends horizontally across the platform and has a snare or hook on the end thereof which can be engaged with the animal to pull it upwardly onto the platform to effectively balance same over the support axle. The cart structure is further provided with a guide flange which projects outwardly and downwardly from the end of the platform to facilitate the pulling of the animal onto the platform.
The cart of the present invention is also highly desirable since it is structurally simple, it is small-in-size and light-in-weight to facilitate its handling and storage, it is manufactured efficiently and economically, and it is extremely durable so as to be virtually free of maintenance.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with carts, and particularly the environment of the present invention, upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.